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MBDA Congratulates Clients on Recent Appointments to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Council

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MBDA

Created on March 28, 2013

On March 14, 2013, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank announced the appointment of 26 members to the 2013 Manufacturing Council (Council). The Council, established in 2004 and directed by the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, helps to ensure that there is regular communication between the U.S. government and the manufacturing sector.

The Council is comprised of up to 30 members that represent a diverse cross section of the manufacturing industry, including steel, textile, semiconductor, and medical manufacturers. Their products support a wide range of industries such as the auto, apparel, aerospace, and energy efficiency sectors.

Among the new members of the 2013 Manufacturing Council are MBDA Business Center clients Christie Wong Barrett of Mac Arthur Corporation and Andra Rush of The Rush Group. Headquartered in Michigan, both companies are industry leaders with expertise that spans decades and operations that reach national and international markets.

Their depth of experience will greatly contribute to the Council’s approach to addressing issues and generating solutions to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and global competitiveness.

“Keeping our manufacturing sector strong is critical to job growth in the United States,” Deputy Secretary Blank said. “The Department of Commerce is focused on supporting U.S. manufacturers as they build things here, so they can sell them everywhere. The Council has an important role to play in shaping the direction of our nation’s manufacturing strategy and supporting American businesses and workers.”

The Council advises the Secretary of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect U.S. manufacturing and provides a forum for proposing solutions to industry-related problems. The Council also works to ensure that the United States remains the preeminent destination for investment in manufacturing throughout the world. The Secretaries of Labor, Energy, and Treasury serve as ex officio members of the Council to better collaborate on cross-cutting issues the Council will address.

Manufacturing is a key industry in the revitalization of the U.S. economy and the growth of U.S. jobs. The United States is the world’s largest manufacturing economy, employing nearly 12 million Americans in 2012, and responsible for the production of $1.7 trillion in manufactured products in 2011, or 11.5 percent of U.S. GDP.